Pribilof Islands Administration; Dogs Prohibited

Document 2026-13684 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Commerce in the Federal Register on July 7, 2026, with an effective date of August 6, 2026. NMFS is creating an exception to the prohibition on landing dogs on the Pribilof Islands to allow the Regional Administrator to authorize independently certified and trained rodent detection dogs to be deployed to detect and prevent the establishment of invasive rodents. Invasive rodents could have significant consequences for the wildlife species that live and breed on the Pribilof Islands and the health and food security of community members. Public comments received expressed broad support for the proposed rule with some minor clarifications. NMFS is publishing this interim final rule to allow public comment on the decision to authorize certified and trained rodent detection dogs to pre-emptively inspect vessels or cargo. This action supports Tribal, local, and Federal agency efforts intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Fur Seal Act (FSA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and other applicable laws. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/07/2026-13684/pribilof-islands-administration-dogs-prohibited.

No. Document 2026-13684 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.